This thread is for you to voice your opinion to who your favourite Bond director is.Mine would be Terence Young. He bought Bond to the silver screen, and his films are all well done (DN, FRWL and TB). I would have said Roger Spottiswoode (TND), but I didn't, out of sheer quantity. And well, if it wasn't for Young, Spottiswoode wouldn't have had the opportunity anyway

Who is your favourite James Bond director, and why?

Last edited by FieldsMan on Thu May 13, 2010 10:48 am; edited 2 times in total

Eons ago on MI6 I voted John Glen and since wished I had changed it. Thus, voted Young this time. Man formed the shape of the cinematic Bond and by some accounts lived the Bond lifestyle. I'd put Hunt second and Glen...third.

Can't really fault you. For all of DAD's ills (and it has as many as a Romanian prostitute) at least it didn't attempt to be deep n' meaningful'. Perhaps in one or two places, but it didn't come close to the creepy, soap operatic mess that was the Bond-Elektra monstrosity. Tamawhore didn't take anything too seriously (the dude does dress in girl clothes after all).

None of the directors post 1995 have had a bloody clue how to make a James Bond film. Save for the return of Campbell. Even he got a raw deal, having wanted Henry Cavill over Daniel Craig for the reboot of the series. But that's getting off topic.Spottiswode did what he could with a film being scripted on a daily basis.Apted was a mistake that failed. Putting it mildlyTamahori. Not even going to go there.Forster. Artsy fartsy dizzy crap.

One thing about Young, even though he made some changes to the character, and perhaps was involved in the changes in the script too, he didn't crap on the original. There was still a link between the book and the movies he directed,in particular, Thunderbal a very difficult film to do even considering that it started out as a screen treatment in the first place.

Oh, I'd put Hunt next to him, but he loses point with that bad editing during fight scenes.

I won't blame Hunt for that bad editing. Firstly, he had more than enough headaches to contend with being the director (it was one of the toughest shoots in the series). The editing in OHMSS was unfortunately the way that action was being edited at that time (much like all this quick-cut Bourne disorientation is at the minute with QOS). If this were a "Best Editor" poll, Peter should win this hands down. He revolutionised action editing at that time with Bond (by that time I mean Dr No rather than OHMSS).

I'd argue he understood the Bond character as well as Terrence Young did. Possibly more in many ways.

1. Terence Young - forged the movie James Bond more then anyone else and made three excellent movies. Without him at the helm of the first two and the fourth Bond would not have lasted this long.2. Peter Hunt - made the best Bond film, was a pioneer of how to direct/edit modern action scenes. Keep OHMSS in mind when you watch Bourne.3. Martin Campbell - knows for sure how to treat a classic hero in a new way (i.e. Zorro as well). Revived the series twice while adjusting the style of the movie to the trend of that particular moment.4. Guy Hamilton - creator of the light-hearted enjoyable Bond adventure, though rarely over the top.5. John Glen - his down-to-earthness matched TLD, LTK and FYEO perfectly. It also gave OP its necessary contrast between the silliness. But it gave AVTAK its dull and uninspired look.6. Lewis Gilbert - no-one gave any Bond film the kind of classy, epic feel then Gilbert. Pity the silliness was so prominent in MR and the character development so underwhelming in YOLT.7. Irvin Kershner - not the best of Bond films and not EON either. But a director who can get the best out of his cast.8. Michael Apted - tried to mix character depth with explosive action, did a respectable job at that.9. Marc Forster - you feel he can make a great Bond film, some sequences are sheer brilliance, but at other moments he's too rushed. 10. Roger Spottiswoode - excellent at creating exciting action, though can't tell a story and keeps the pace up much too high.11. Lee Tamahori - starts off well giving Bond more edge, but then he falls in the gap of self-parody, laughable action, childish dialogue and CGI nonsense.

Young was the first and best of course. I think Gilbert is underrated though. He delivered three Bond films based on essentially the same script. I would've wanted to see him direct the more down-to-earth entries like FYEO and OP as well.

The guy really knew how to put a camera down somewhere and have stuff happen in front of it. I like that in a filmmaker.

I voted for Young. FRWL is a gem, and DN isn't far behind it.

I really like most of John Glen's Bond films, too, but there doesn't seem to be much special about the direction. There just happens to be good stories with good actors happening. Surely he has a hand in that, though, and he would probably be second in my book.